"It can't be all that bad, now calm down a little and start from the beginning, you were saying yoou've lost two of them?." Todd said soothingly.
Paulus crouches to pat and calm the excited collie and nods to Mr Fivetrees as the man runs off. He speaks calmly to the dog "Good fella, where've you been with Misty here now, hey".
Although he's putting on a clam demenaor for Misty's benefit, the young rogue feels a nervous tension building inside him.
"Misty, you said you lost two of them, who are you talking about?"
The collie gives Paulus an odd look, for a moment he's sure she's trying to communicate that she doesn't appreciate being spoken to like a simpleton.
Misty looks around the group with wide eyes and a small whimper. "Gracie, she's been missing for a while but I didn't want to worry people, so I asked Sam Longshanks to help me track her down as he knows the woods... we were looking and got seperated and now there's no trace of him either!" She blurts out before breaking down into sobs.
Moss looks a little heartbroken that she seems to be this concerned about Sam but he swallows his selfis feeling and instead shifts a little closer to her. "Don't worry Misty, my brother's gone to get a light and then we'll help you find them. I don't think Sam could get himself lost in the woods so we'll find your sister, okay?" A smile comes to his face, making it painfully obvious to the other men around him that he's daydreaming about rescuing the youngest of the Clover sisters and being seen as a hero by Misty.
It doesn't take long at all for Lyus to get a lightsource and return to you all.
Sam:
"You know as well as I that the woods can be dangerous but this tree isn't far enough in to the woods to cause a problem for even an inexperienced wanderer in getting back home. But, I would like to know a little more about this 'Gracie', there was a Grace with us for a short time, she left not long before you arrived with an elf of the Seelie court. She informs the young man as they pass a second landing, this one containing a door with the words 'Twighlight's Fine Dining'
"Well, Miss ..I mean ..um ...Oriniya ...Gracie Clover is the youngest of the Clover sisters. Misty, her sister came to me tonight and said she'd gone missing in the woods. I'm a woodsrunner and gamewarden so she asked me to use my woodcraft to help find her. Grace is ... Sam goes on to provide Oriniya with a detailed description of the young girl. ...... -colored hair. I don't like the sound of her leaving with someone, does this person have a good reputation?"
Lyus after running back to the group opened the lantern and lit it from his tinder box. Thankfully it was already full of oil, when it was burning brightly he looked at the others in turn then turns to look at Misty.
“So what happened Misty?”
His voice though concerned was also gentle; he didn’t want to distress the poor girl anymore. He hadn’t heard the exchange between Misty and the others.
“You mentioned someone had gone missing? Not to worry sure we’ll fine um. Where you see um last?”
He assumed that Sam had gone on ahead, some how gotten himself lost.
"I swear this dog knows what I'm saying" Paulus says quietly before standing up again, his fingers still gently scratching the collie's head.
"Aye Misty, if you can show us where you last saw Sam, maybe we can try and find him and hopefully your sister too. Sam's pretty good in these woods so I'm sure there's nothing to worry about. You two probably just got turned around in the dark"
Looking down at the dog again, the young tinker says in a jovial voice "Come on fella' take us to see Sam hey, where's Sam that's a good boy"
So that was it, the younger of the three sisters had gone a wandering, Lyus mused to himself.
“Aye less don’t fret, Sam knows these woods like his own foot.”
Lyus nods and gives Misty a reassuring grin. He then shot his brother a warning look.
If he pulls anything funny I’ll brain him, Lyus thought.
“Right then, let’s go. Misty, lead on.”
Lyus stepped up next to the girl holding the lantern around waist level so not to blind anyone. Then as an after though Lyus turns to Paulus and nods at the coli
“Ere Paulus who’s dogs that?”
"Actually Mr Fivetrees, I'm not sure who's dog it is. He was following Misty out of the woods and I natuarlly assumed it was hers. Now you ask about it, I don't remember seeing him around the village before."
"Well we have two missing people including a skilled woodsman so I suggest we go as a slightly larger group just in case something is going on and Misty here wasn't just seperated from Sam and got turned around, lead on Lyus."
Lyus nods, that made sense. He turns to Todd
“So Todd you think we should head back to the village and raise a search party?”
Then Lyus has a though.
“Hang on, may it not be better just us go. The thing is, a lot of folk not used to the woods especially at night, and some of um worst for drink and merriment. Well my thinking is we’d end up sending a search party for the search party.”
Lyus looks at the others.
“Plus don’t want to worry everyone, and we do have guests.”
"Whatever we do, we should probably do it now. The longer we leave starting a search, the less chance of finding anything useful to use in this light. Plus we have guests, and I'm sure Misty's sister is scared a little out here in the dark." Paulus says a little hesitantly, reluctant to be seen giving advice to those older than himself.
Turning to the oldest Clover girl, the young rogue says quietly "Misty, can you show us where you left the trail at least. We can search from there and maybe you can go back with Moss and let the rest of your family know what's going on. If they choose they can then come out and get a bigger search going, probably with more light."
With a cut off sniffle and a wipe at her eyes Misty starts to lead the way further into the woods trying as best she can to remember where she saw Sam last. After a while she stops and gives an uncertain nod "We were about here" She tells the group shakily.
Glancing about Paulus spots a set of tracks that look like they could be those of Sam and a dog heading deeper into the woods.
"I'll take Misty back now" Moss pipes up, gently wrapping an arm around the crying girl's shoulders and starting to lead her back towards the town.
Sam:
She continues onwards as she speaks, leading the young human man up to the next floor, on this landing is a door with the words 'The Autumnal Glade' written upon them.
"Sounds like a plan, Lyus you know the woods better than I do I think you better take the lead."
Lyus follows the others lighting their way. He nods as they reach the spot, he watched Paulus in his search.
"You got the trail Paulus?"
He then turns to his youngest brother and nods.
"Aye Moss makes sure she gets home safe. An when you have go tell Aira what we're doing right, quietly mind and tell her not to worry right."
As they go he shakes his head.
"Silly younger bugger."
He says under his breath as he watches his brother and the girl head back. Then turning to Todd he says.
"As you say Todd, lets go."
Survival to follow the tracks.
1d20+5=18
Holding the lantern low he starts to follow the trail.
"I've known her all her life, an' her and her family have always seemed like salt of the earth. 'Course every family has secrets, I don't know them as well as I could say it couldn't be."
Sam looks at the doors in front of him.
"Ooh."
As the two older men begin following the tracks, Paulus pulls out his dagger and carves a big X in the closest tree to the path.
"Hope whoever else comes out here sees this mark. I'll leave a couple as we go so they can follow where we've been." he says to his two companions as way of explanation.
With a last nervous look at the light of the bonfire over the village wall, young Paulus steps off the trail and into the woods, following the light of the lantern.
The trio of men head further into the woods, following the tracks. The collie pads alongside Paulus, occasionally giving him an unimpressed look almost as if to say 'I can't believe you still think I'm a male'
The tracks lead deeper and deeper into the trees before coming to an abrupt, inexplicable stop between three large trees.
Sam:
By the door is an intricately carved wooden bar but this is the only piece of furniture that breaks the otherwise perfectly believable glade. There is the occasional cushion scattered on the floor but most patrons in the bar are reclining in the soft grass and crisp leaves. so in awe is the young man of the surroundings that it takes him a moment to realise the strange nature of the other patrons of the glade, people with skin of several odd hues, people with unnatural hair or features, people with wings, he really is amongst the fair folk.
“Good plan Paulus”
After some time following the trail Lyus then looks up at the others a says in a some what confused manner.
“Thats damned odd. The tracks have stopped.”
He points out to the others where the trail stops between the three trees.
“See beyond here no more tracks.”
Then he looks up and shines the lantern in to the three large trees in turn.
Perception for looking in the trees for anything odd
1d20+0=15
Paulus also steps up next to Lyus and looks closely at the trees, checking for any signs, frowning at the sudden disapearence of the tracks.
He then looks carefully around the base of the trees (not walking around, just from where he's standing) looking for pit traps or snares.
"It IS all real. Autumn in Winter and Fair Folk an' gods knows what else!"
Sam leans against a tree, slightly dizzy.
The light of the lantern flickers and blinks out, submerging the group into utter darkness. The cold wind picks up and bites at your faces and whistles in your ears. You suddenly feel so very alone despite knowing the others should be nearby.
Sam:
As she talks the tree beside Sam creaks oddly and he gets the feeling it's watching him for a brief moment.
Lyus looks down to the now dark lantern, or where he thought the lantern was. He takes his tinderbox from the pouch on his belt and tries to relight the lantern. Listening for any noise as he does so.
Perception check 1d20+0=8
"Well I guess that makes sense, but I'm not used to my Ma's stories coming to life right in front of my eyes!"
Sam eyes the creaking tree he leaned against.
"I hardly know what's real and what's a story."
Sam looks at Oriniya again with puzzlement
"What is Myr D'Vaern?"
As the intial shock and fear wears off however, he calls out more confidently "Don't run off fella's lets keep calm and gather together till Lyus can get his lantern lit again". Realising he still has his dagger out, he carefully fells for the scabbard at his belt and sheaths the weapon. He doesn't want to stab someone who walks into him in this inky darkness. He calls again "Come to my voice" and waits to hear a response
Lyus:
Sam:
Paulus:
Todd:
“Sorry ma’am didn’t mean to disturb you. I’ll just be on my way.”
Feeling somewhat wrong footed by the whole thing he blows out the lantern and sets it on the floor, and looks around for a door.
Perception to find a door
1d20+0=20
He's slowly staring around, opening his eyes as wide as possible, trying to get his night vision in. His heart is beginnnig to beat a little faster
"If Myr D'Vaern is the land of magic, where exactly IS this land? Under the woods? In the trees? What if a lumberjack team came out here with axes? How would they know you were living here?"
Lyus, Paulus and Kayos of course.
Lyus:
Lyus however misses the pout as his eyes instinctively find the door.
Paulus:
Behind the desk are a collection of curved metal hooks set into the walls, some of which are holding cloaks and coats of varying styles and colours, one appears to even have four sleeves, but maybe that's a trick of the light, or it's part of a costume. Also behind the desk is a beautiful woman, presumably in her early twenties with hair coloured with chunks of reds, golds and oranges, giving it the appearance of autumn foliage.
Stood beside Paulus is a very short, petite woman with short messy dark hair and an unimpressed expression on her pretty face.
Sam:
"It's not quite that simple dear" Oriniya starts with a litle smile "Thallathorne's exists both in your world and in ours, it's a gateway between two otherwise very seperate places. Magic can do a great many things, even keep itself hidden away from those not of magical blood if it desires."
Todd:
“Well ma’am I can’t stop long, got to find young Sam and the little um... hang on did you stay bring me here?”
His mind suddenly focused he turns to look the young women in the eye.
“Who are you and what is this place?”
Eventually he finds his voice "Nghehe". The unintelligable word seems to stumble out of his lips rather than be formed.
Lyus:
Paulus:
After a moment Paulus hears the sound of breathing behind him, spinning around he sees Todd stood with his eyes closed
Todd:
“Now lass, I’m sorry but I'm married. You’re a pretty young girl I’m sure you’ll make a young fella very happy one day. But I have to find my friend Sam, have you seen him, young fella dark hair, taller than me and rake thin?”
He didn’t want to upset the girl. She was very pretty but all Lyus could think of was Aira, gods she must be worried sick.
Sam smiles as the drink burns a glowing trail down his throat. He relaxes, the strange elixir's taste making him release the tension the strange situation had burned into him.
"So I fell into another world? How interesting!" Sam giggles a bit "They are not ever going to believe me when I tell them about this in Clearbrook!"
Sam tenses a bit again
"I CAN go back home, right Oriniya?"
For Kayos and Todd
Kayos and Paulus
Lyus:
Todd & Paulus:
Finally composing themselves the shorter of the women beams at Todd "Hello there, shouldn't we be going to find Sam and Gracie?" She enquires brightly
Sam:
“Well he’s younger than me, an closer to your age I’d guess.”
It was getting a little hard for Lyus to concentrate, then the image of Aira swam into focus in his mind’s eye.
“I’m sorry Lilac, but I can’t take you up on your offer. I love my wife and I need to get back to her, so I’m going to have to be on me way now lass. Besides I reckon I’m old enough to be your Da.”
He turns and walks to the door and open’s it.
Sam takes a minute to digest this new piece of information.
"So I could return but it would be 100 years later like in the stories? That would be horrible!"
Sam begins to breathe rapidly as he looks at the exotic drink he was sipping.
"Oh sweet Desna I've tasted Fair Folk food! I'm trapped!"
for Kayos and Todd
His tone is slightly wary as he asks "Aye, we should indeed be trying to find them. What do you know of this milady? How do you know our business? And what is this strange place that appears where previously only woods were found?" A hint of anger has crept into his voice on the last question as his embarressment quickly turns to shame and slight annoyance.
Paulus & Todd:
Lyus:
Sam:
“Some kind of Inn?”
Then as an afterthought.
“Maybe you should have got a bit more dressed lass.”
He walks up to the double doors at the end and opens them.
Sam relaxes a bit
"I guess there ain't much I kin dew 'bout the sidu-uh-sichu-um-situation. No need to fash m'self I reckon"
The drink seems to be making Sam a bit giddy, his backcountry accent roughening as he becomes tipsy.
"I do worry 'bout me Da though. He's oldern now an' there ain' nobbut but to care for him 'cept me."
Paulus and Kayos
for Kayos and Todd
"Mr Peel here has the right of it though. We need to find our friends and quickly too. While Mr Fivetrees and Sam are capable of looking after themselves, I'm very worried about young Gracie" . He looks more closely at the small woman who is speaking to them, trying to place her face from the jumble of this afternoons events.